New labor alliance launched ahead of May 1 protest

By Jocelyn R. Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer

6:31 pm | Monday, April 23rd, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s trade and labor organizations and unions on Monday launched a broad alliance that will stage a 20,000-strong “historic” action in Manila on Labor Day, advancing Filipino workers’ demand for wage increase, security of tenure and fight against labor contractualization.

Dubbed “NAGKAISA,” the newly established “multi-ideological and multiform” network of labor organizations is composed of some 40 major trade unions and labor federations across the country.

In a press conference Monday, labor leaders representing these organizations said the merger would mobilize a united and massive protest march to the historic Mendiola on May 1, a first in recent history.

Joshua Mata, secretary general of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), said the last time various labor organizations in the country formed one coalition to advance rights of Filipino workers was in 1989.

“May 1 promises to be a historic action because for the first time in so many years, there has become a broad coalition of labor groups that would all come together to make our demands to the government not only in Metro Manila but also in key areas in the country,” said Mata.

Simultaneous mass actions to mark Labor Day will also be staged in key cities in the country: in Baguio, Pampanga, Bataan, Cebu, General Santos City, Negros, Davao, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato and Iligan.

“This will be a calibrated mass action because we will give the government an opportunity to address our appeal to improve the plight of Filipino workers,” explained Pete Pinlac, president of Manggagawa para sa Kalayaan ng Bayan (Makabayan) at a press conference in Manila yesterday.

Should the government’s response remain unfavorable to workers after the Labor Day march, the coalition would stage further mass actions to advance the laborers’ interest, which would include protest actions during the Asian Development Bank annual meeting next month.

The big ADB meeting, to be held from May 2 to May 5, is expected to draw some 4,000 banking and finance executives from 67 countries.

“The ADB has a big role in the privatization of our industries especially in the power sector…so we are also ready to show force and hold a protest during the meeting,” warned Pinlac.

As one voice of labor, NAGKAISA will primarily raise issues on oil deregulation, wage increase, the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 and the passage of the Security of Tenure Act.

The coalition also said it would actively engage industry and all branches of government at all levels in meaningful and progressive social dialogue to improve the plight of workers.

“In the face of the prevalent anti-worker environment…our unions have continued to champion workers’ right to organize, to collectively bargain, to hold strikes and to engage government in social dialogue but with limited success,” said NAGKAISA in a statement.

“We believe that the Filipino workers can be empowered again by, first and foremost, united action among unions and workers’ organizations,” it continued.

The new coalition is composed of labor groups Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines; Makabayan, APL, Marino, Partido ng Manggagawa, the Philippine Government Employees Association and Sentro ng Progresibong Manggagawa, among others.

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/181453/new-labor-alliance-launched-ahead-of-may-1-protest

PALEA may bagong suporta

by SAAN ANG BIYAHE MO? ni 'Tol Bren Sarasa Feb 9, 2012 7:56pm HKT

ANG demanda kay Chief Justice Renato Corona ay ang bintang na nilabag niya ang Saligang Batas nang hindi niya ibinunyag ang kanyang totoong statement of assets, liabilities and MAY sumulpot na namang kakampi ang Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) at hindi ito pipitsugin.

Ang totoo nito, mga ‘tol, ay literal na stateside (hindi dahil sa dinidiyos natin ang anomang imported o mula sa Tate).

Ang ating tinutukoy ay ang, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, isang unyon ng  mga flight attendant na pinakamalaki sa buong mundo. May 60,000 ang mga miyembro nito na nagmula sa 23 airlines.

Noong nakaraang a-sais ng Pebrero ay nagpahatid ang AFA-CWA ng isang liham sa opisina ng Philippine Airlines o PAL sa Los Angeles International Airport sa estado ng California sa Estados Unidos.

Ayon sa unyon na nakabase sa US, nakababahala ang pagtrato ng PAL sa mga dating kawani nito na mga miyembro ng PALEA.

Sa sulat, pinagdiinan ni AFA International President Veda Shook na dapat kilalanin ng PAL ang mga sakripisyong ibinigay ng mga miyembro ng PALEA upang pakitain ang PAL.

Dagdag pa ni Shook: “We will stand in support of the public boycott of Lucio Tan-owned PAL and Air Philippines until management has heeded workers’ demands for a return to their regular jobs.” Matindi, ano, mga ‘tol?

Tulad ng inaasahan, natuwa ang mga taga-PALEA sa pagpapakita ng suporta ng AFA-CWA. ‘Ika nga ng pangulo ng una na si kasamang Gerry Rivera, isang karangalan ang mabigyan ng suporta ng “our sister and brother flight attendants from America.”

Aniya pa, ang pakikibaka ng PALEA laban sa “outsourcing” at “union-busting” may epekto sa lahat ng mga manggagawa sa buong mundo.

Maidagdag ko na rin, kasamang Gerry, ang laban ng PALEA ay laban din ng lahat ng mga manggagawang transportasyon.

Kaya’t asahan mo at ng iyong mga kasamahan na naririto lang ang TRANSPORTER upang umalalay sa inyong mga plano.

Alam nating lahat na maraming pakikibaka ang transport workers. Araw-araw.

Hindi biro-biro at pipitsugin ang mga kalaban. Naririyan na nga ang PAL, ang “Big 3,” ang ‘ika nga ay “invisible hand” ng pandaigdigang merkado sa usapin ng presyo ng petrolyo at ang gobyerno mismo.

Wala tayong panlaban kung hindi ang ating pagkakaisa, pagkakapit-bisig at pagsigaw na sabay-sabay upang mapakinggan ang ating boses.Ano ba ang mahalaga, ang katotohanan o ang technicalities upang mapagtakpan at maitago ang katotohanan?

Tungkol  naman sa  bintang  na mahinang  abogado si Tupas at mga kasamahan niya sa prosecution, dapat magtanong muna sila sa Integated Bar of the Philippines para malaman nila na kabilang sa Top 20 sa Bar exams ang kongresista mula sa Iloilo.

Pangalawa, a matter of opinion yan.

Hindi dahil sina Tupas ay hindi mahusay na abogado sa paningin ng depensa ay maaabsuwelto na si Corona.

Source: http://www.remate.ph/2012/02/palea-may-bagong-suporta/

PALEA gets backing of Occupy Protesters

Photo taken in Australia

Photo taken in Japan

Video taken in Canada

Press Release

December 16, 2011

PALEA

Just as truck drivers and longshore workers got the support of Occupy rallyists in the US, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) received the solidarity of Occupy protesters in Canada. Occupy Toronto activists together with Canadian airline unions held a solidarity action at the Toronto international airport last December 10. Last Tuesday various ports along the West Coast such as Oakland, Los Angeles and Portland were shutdown by community pickets of Occupy protesters with the support of port workers who refused to cross the picketlines. As is the practice in Occupy protests, the Toronto rally was called a “general assembly” and speeches were “echoed” by the participants.

The series of solidarity actions for PALEA continued with a picket at the Tokyo office of Philippine Airlines (PAL) by Japanese railway workers last December 12. On December 14 another rally was held at the Philippine consulate in Melbourne that was attended by PALEA vice president Alnem Pretencio, the head of the two million-strong Australian Council of Trade Unions Geraldine Kearney and leaders of the Australian Services Union which represents airline workers including Qantas, Maritime Union of Australia, Victorian Trades Hall Council and Australia Asia Worker Links.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of the Partido ng Manggagawa, said that “We salute the Occupy shutdown of the West Coast ports to demand justice for truck drivers and longshore workers. The fight for better pay, job security and union rights is a common struggle of port workers, airline employees and workers around the world. PALEA stands shoulder to shoulder with Occupy protesters.”

The latest series of solidarity actions for PALEA is the second wave after earlier rallies staged in late October to early November in Washington DC, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Renato Magtubo, chair of PM and co-chair of the Church-Labor Conference, declared that “The latest rallies in support of PALEA are a level up from earlier actions since the call for a boycott of Lucio Tan-owned PAL and Air Philippines are explicitly expressed. The widespread boycott campaign will hurt PAL since the regional flights to Australia and Japan, and the transpacific flights to the US are among its most profitable operations.” He added that “The fact that PAL is having a promo during the Christmas peak season belies its claims that its operations are back to normal.”

Rivera claimed that “The convergence between the youth-led Occupy protests and the workers struggles for wages, jobs and rights is a welcome development. Social change will come from the unity and action of the 99%.”

For a video of the Toronto action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8lFtTCo7Q 

For photos of the Melbourne action: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.283439828375106.80352.100001272721169&type=1&l=94715c3e50 

For photos of the Tokyo action: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.282035501848872.80162.100001272721169&type=1&l=adb20681a6 

http://partidongmanggagawa2001.blogspot.com/2011/12/palea-gets-backing-of-occupy-protesters.html

Labor rights under P-Noy: Large gap between declared policy and implementation

PRESS RELEASE

10 December 2011

A large gap between declared policies and implementation characterize the conduct of the present administration in upholding the constitutional mandate of providing full protection to labor, the labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) said in a statement as the country celebrates the International Human Rights Day.

PM chair Renato Magtubo find the current state of labor rights “very depressing” under the present administration as "P-Noy is all talk but zero achievement in upholding labor rights.” 

Magtubo pointed out that when P-Noy assumed office in July last year, he carried with him a 22-Point Labor & Agenda with a declared policy in promoting employment and upholding labor rights.  The agenda has an an over-arching goal of “investing in our country’s top resource, our human resource, to make us more competitive and employable while promoting industrial peace based on social justice.”  

The labor leader explained that Item No. 3 of the said Agenda aims “to promote not only the constitutionally protected rights of workers but also their right to participate in the policymaking processes”, while Item No. 7 seeks “to align  our country’s labor policies with international treaties and ILO conventions in a sound and realistic manner.” 

Asked Magtubo: “Where is P-Noy now after declaring those big words 17 months ago? Where is P-Noy now after Lucio Tan locked out the 2,600 workers of PAL who were fighting for their constitutionally guaranteed rights?  Where is industrial peace based on social justice? ”

The labor group added that even the recent Conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO) held in Kyoto reminded both businesses and governments to prioritize long-term over short term employment.  The ILO’s Decent Work Framework which promotes equal opportunity and gainful employment was adopted by the Philippine government several years ago.

“Yet P-Noy’s labor secretary Rosalinda Baldoz who was present at the conference and who decided in favour of Lucio Tan in the PAL case, defended the outsourcing and contractualization as a necessary policy,” lamented Magtubo,

The former partylist representative said the PAL issue had become a litmus test to P-Noy and this unresolved issue of social justice will continue to hound his administration whose popularity is mainly bolstered by a populist campaign on anti-corruption.

Source: http://partidongmanggagawa2001.blogspot.com/2011/12/labor-rights-under-p-noy-large-gap.html

This is our fight– PALEA president

from Salimbay Siteblog

PLIGHT SCHEDULE. Gerry Rivera of PALEA discusses their decade-long battle for CBA and now, work reinstatement. Photo courtesy of Ayra Abo-Abo

Speaking before a low turnout of participation from AIT students, the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) president Gerry Rivera emphasized on Friday that their row with the legacy carrier has already developed into a broader fight against contractualization in the Philippines.

“Ang laban ng PALEA ay laban ng lahat,” said Rivera whose allies from the union occupied half of the Seminar Room.

Employed in PAL since 1988, he was guest speaker in the AITSC’s first Serious Talk Series.

“Hindi na lang ito tungkol sa issue ng PAL, ang laban namin ay laban din ng next generation which includes you as students.”

PAL has outsourced its call center reservation, airport services, and in-flight catering effective October 1 after a two-year battle with PALEA, resulting to the dismissal of 2,600 employees.

Violation of worker rights

Rivera said their situation reflects the current state of how workers are treated in the country. Their row with PAL allegedly stemmed from the company’s violation of the worker’s right to security of tenure, right to self-organization, and right to collective bargaining negotiations. See statement by Partido ng Manggagawa

“The PALEA is just a name because since June 1998, PAL already started not recognizing [PALEA].”

In 1998, the airline dismissed 5,000 employees due to the Asian Financial Crisis. Rivera said PAL asked for the suspension of collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with PALEA for ten years as the company entered a corporate rehabilitation program. SeeRentrenching workers, don’t repeat PAL mistake

According to BusinessDictionary.com, a CBA is a contract between the management and an employee organization defining the conditions of employment such as wages, holidays, and benefits and procedures in resolving disputes.

“You might be wondering why only PALEA was asked for the suspension of the CBA, until today I don’t know why.”

The union is one of the three employee organizations in PAL. One is for pilots, the other for flight attendants.

Furthermore, according to Rivera, PAL prematurely exited from the rehabilitation program in September 2007, but the suspension of CBA continued beyond the 10-year period in 2008. He noted that the union’s officers, while engaged in an internal conflict agreed to the extension of the CBA moratorium.

‘PAL is not losing money’

While the main argument in the spin-off issue is to save the airline from more losses by reorganizing corporate structure, Rivera cited a number of counterarguments against PAL’s move.

In an Inquirer.net article, PAL cited a P312 million loss in the two previous years from the global recession among other reasons such as fuel prices and competition with low-cost carriers which the company identified as rationale for the current restructuring.

However, PALEA insisted, “PAL’s audited FS for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2011 show [a $72.5 million or] P3 billion income, and that is after taxes.”

From June to April of the year, PAL accounted a net loss of $10.6 million effected by the Arab Spring, Japanese tsunami, and oil price hikes, according to another Inquirer.net article. See PAL welcomes DoLE ruling allowing spin-off

Lucio Tan’s

Since 2000, PAL has been outsourcing its maintenance and engineering from Lufthansa Technik Philippines. Despite this, Rivera claimed, 60% of Lufthansa Technik is still under Lucio Tan through the logistics company MacroAsia Corporation.

He further suspected, “We have proven this in our research that the service providers coming in now by virtue of the outsourcing program—the Sky Kitchen [and Sky] Logisticsay pag-aari din nila.”

He said 40% of the Sky Kitchen is owned by MacroAsia.

Sky Kitchen Philippines, Sky Logistics Philippines, and SPI Global Holdings were PAL’s target service providers for the catering, airport services, and call center, respectively. Salimbay is yet to confirm whether this was pursued. See PAL back to normal flight operations Thursday

In a SunStar.com.ph article dated September 8, the three service providers allegedly were not registered under the Department of Labor and Employment, violating Department Order 18 Series 2002. See Philippine airlines service providers illegal

The order compelled for the registration of contractors and subcontractors.

PALEA also noted the incapability of these providers and the competency of the union members.

It asserted in a statement, “The service providers do not have the necessary personnel complement to do the job that they [PAL] have contracted for. It is now December and PAL continues to operate at a very low operational level.”

Outsourcing as a global trend

Calling contractualization’s being a global trend a “farce”, Rivera said that a list given by the International Transport Workers Federation claims that a significant number of airlines in the Asia-Pacific are still provided by their own manpower.

He suspected that cabin crew would follow suit in the outsourcing scheme.

According to Salimbay’s source, the compensation package for the employees is above industry average. Rivera said that the actual rate ranges from half to a million.

But despite the sum, only one-fifth of the 2,600 chose to get their compensation, according to Rivera. PALEA would insist in their reinstatement even if this means spending Christmas in their protest camps.

“We would like our children na sana maranasan pa ang regular,” said Rivera.

See Partido ng Mangagawa’s version of the PAL-PALEA dispute chronology